Chelsea fans on X have criticized Cole Palmer after he struggled to make an impact during their 3-0 win over Legia Warsaw. The two sides locked horns in the first leg of their UEFA Conference League quarter-final clash on Thursday, April 10.
Palmer started the game but performed poorly and was replaced at half-time by Noni Madueke after appearing to take a knock earlier on. The 22-year-old created one chance and failed to land a shot on target from an attempted two. Moreover, he completed zero dribbles, delivered no accurate crosses (both from two attempts), and lost four duels.
Chelsea looked rejuvenated following the break in Palmer's absence, breaking the deadlock in the 49th minute via Tyrique George's effort. Madueke then netted a brilliant brace (57', 74') to ensure the Blues sealed a dominant 3-0 lead going into the second leg.
One fan was unimpressed by Palmer's performance, posting:
"Chelsea started playing well immediately Palmer got hooked"
Another fan tweeted:
"Palmer really fell off man"
Other fans reacted below:
"Maresca’s absolutely ruined palmer in every way shape of form," one fan commented
"Pass pass pass pass… pass it faster. The level of some of these players is shocking, we’re playing 5th in the Polish league. Palmer looks lost in this system atm," another added
"I’m sorry but Palmer gets superstar praise but no superstar criticism," one fan pointed out
"Palmer does look a bit off, hope he finds his rhythm soon," another chimed in
"Overall, a professional performance" - Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca provides verdict on his side's performance following 3-0 win over Legia Warsaw
Enzo Maresca has praised his side for delivering a professional performance following their 3-0 win over Legia Warsaw. He also explained why he opted to substitute Cole Palmer and Tosin Adarabioyo at half-time.
Despite a relatively slow first half, Chelsea were clinical following the break, scoring three goals. They dominated the game with 72 percent possession of the ball, landing 24 shots in total, with 10 being on target (xG of 4.08). Meanwhile, Warsaw mustered eight shots in total, with just one being on target (xG of 0.43).
During the post-match press conference, Maresca said (via Football London):
"We planned the game to try to have our best players for this game and give chances to the rest of the players to recover energy. Overall, a professional performance, a good result. We were much better in the second-half compared to the first-half for different reasons. We need to learn to play different kind of games."
He added:
"We planned for him [Palmer] and Tosin to come off on 45 minutes. Everything is fine."
Chelsea will face Legia Warsaw in the second leg of the quarter-finals on Thursday, April 17.
Disclaimer: The above stats were taken from FotMob on April 11, 2025, at 1:10 AM IST. They are subject to change.